Oh Captain, My Captain ~ Pirate AU/Merfolk AU ~ Steddie/Ronance/Fruity Four

~Chapter 1~

Warnings: mentions of drowning and death

"Today 11 years ago was when...he left. It still hurts me, he was the first one I ever cared about, the first one I ever loved. Then in a flash he was gone. So to answer your question Nance? No, I'm far from ok"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

By the rocks four kids were playing by the water, splashing each other, laughing and teasing each other as they played. "Come on! I'll race you guys to the pier, last one theres a rotten fish egg!" A young boy with caramel locks of hair exclaimed happily to his friends, racing along the rocks. In the end two of them ended up tying, both of them looked so similar they could be twins, identical curly brown hair and large doe eyes, but that's where their similarities ended. One of them had chocolate brown eyes and the other had sky blue eyes. The other two trailing behind them were catching up, laughing breathlessly, the last one of the group had dirty blonde hair just above her shoulders.

The four young kids sat quietly on the edge of the pier, teasing each other playfully yet again. "Sometimes I wonder what it will be like to live in the ocean." One of the young boys wondered aloud. The other three looked at him confused.

This young boy was named Edmund Ralph Munson, he always had a fascination with the sea, what lied beneath the waves. But his fascination wasn't anywhere close to how two of his friends had for it, Stephan Kurtis Harrington and Robin Eleanor Buckley, and of course that made the most inquisitive and curious of their small group intrigued. Nancy Elizabeth Wheeler. She always grew curious as to why, but that answer wouldn't come to her until months later.

"What do you mean by that Eds?" Stephan had questioned his friend. "Well I've always wondered how cool it would be, my father always told me about stories and old legends about merfolk. Wouldn't it be cool to be friends with a mermaid Stevie?"  Edmund explained dreamily, turning to his friend, only to be greeted with a soft yet hidden sad expression on Stephan's face. He turned to the two girls. "Robbie? Nance? What about you two?"  He asked them, soon all three of them nodded in response happily.

As they chattered excitedly, Robin and Stephan had felt saddened behind their happy expressions, because something in their minds was reminding them that they would be living that exact reality very soon.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Years had passed since then, Edmund and Nancy were now pirates of The Hellfire Crew, Edmund was the captain whilst Nancy was his right hand woman and the crews most skilled gun slinger. Edmund's crew also consisted of some of his closest friends, Grant, Gareth and Jeff. Eddie was standing on the starboard bow, watching the waves with a heavy heart as the quiet roar of the ocean filled his ears, Nancy came up behind him to put a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Are you ok Eds?" She asked the captain softly, he sighed before answering her. "Today 11 years ago was when...he left. It still hurts me, he was the first one I ever cared about, the first one I ever loved. Then in a flash he was gone. So to answer your question Nance? No, I'm far from ok." He solemnly explained, she only returned a saddened expression, pulling her captain into a hug.

"Eds, it's ok, we both lost the ones we loved. But at least we know they'll be ok. They've always been close as kids, kind of like you and me." She playfully remarked at the last part, Eddie huffed a laugh in response. "Except you and Robin were cuddling every chance you guys got." He teased with his classic smirk, Nancy playfully scoffed. "No way! That was always you and Steve!" Eddie laughed in response, nodding in defeat. "Ok ok you got me there, lets just call it a truce and say we had the same amount of cuddle time." He quipped.

Nancy lightly chuckled and nodded, then the air suddenly turned sad around them again. "We'll see them again Eds, that's why we became pirates in the first place, I mean sure we don't do 'normal' pirate behaviour, but we dedicate our time to our research. We will find a way to see them again, I promise." Nancy said as sincerely as she could manage, Eddie smiled sadly and hugged Nancy again, if only he knew just how right she was.